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Barcelona have enquired about Tottenham Hotspur left-back Sergio Reguilon, which would be a shock transfer given his recent struggles and rival past.

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• Barcelona enquire over Reguilon
• Left-back cover required
• Spaniard out of favour at Spurs

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , Barcelona have been in contact with Tottenham to understand the conditions that might be expected were they to launch an approach for Reguilon.

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  Reguilon isn't thought to have a place at Tottenham under Ange Postecoglou and Spurs are open to selling. He started last season on loan at Manchester United and, when that deal was cut short in January, finished it on a similar temporary deal at Brentford. Meanwhile, Barcelona were short on left-backs even before Alejandro Balde suffered a long-term hamstring injury midway through last season and have lost the cover they did have in loan signing Joao Cancelo, who has returned to Manchester City.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Reguilon hails from Madrid and first joined the youth ranks of fierce Barcelona rivals Real Madrid at the age of nine. He spent a total of 15 years at the club, before his permanent transfer to Tottenham was completed in 2020.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  If Reguilon is to return to Spain, Barcelona will have to reach a decision on whether the response Tottenham have given make a more formal approach worthwhile. Balde has played sparingly in pre-season and himself is only 20 years of age, so lack real experience.

West Ham United's season is best described as a mixed bag. Another strong outing in Europe has been juxtaposed by a string of embarrassing results in the league. Eager to rectify these issues, David Sullivan looks set to shore up the Hammers' defence this summer.

West Ham's defensive struggles

Despite sitting seventh in the Premier League table, it has been something of a campaign to forget for West Ham at the back. The Hammers have conceded the eighth-most goals in the division this season, over twice the number of league leaders Arsenal.

West Ham now eyeing £35 million leader to replace Lucas Paqueta

The Hammers are making succession plans for their midfield star.

By
Emilio Galantini

Mar 22, 2024

A particularly embarrassing moment for the Hammers' defence was their 6-0 home defeat to the Gunners back in February. Conceding four times in the first half, many West Ham fans opted to make an early exit from the London Stadium, a damning indictment of the Hammers' frailties at the back.

David Moyes' quest to fix his backline has seen West Ham pursue a deal for Man United and England star Harry Maguire. Whilst bringing the 31-year-old to east London would ease the Hammers' struggles in the heart of defence, it appears that West Ham are now in the market for a new full-back.

Hammers eye move for international full-back

As relayed by Sport Witness, the local press in Italy is claiming that West Ham have become the latest side to show an interest in Torino defender Raoul Bellanova. The outlet suggests that fellow Premier League outfits Man United and Aston Villa have already watched the player and that "the Hammers had a scout watch him closely against Udinese last weekend".

The 23-year-old had spent the previous season on loan at Inter, where the defender came off the bench in the Nerazzurri's 1-0 loss to Manchester City in the Champions League final. Recently receiving his first call-up to the Italian national team, Bellanova may not be overly eager to pursue a move away from his home country.

Joining Torino this summer in a £6m deal from parent club Cagliari, Bellanova has gone on to make 30 appearances this season, contributing one goal and five assists. It is suggested that Torino would demand at least £22m to part ways with Bellanova this summer, with Il Toro eager to make a sizeable profit on their investment from last season.

A full-back with an eye for a cross, Bellanova would be an excellent addition to a West Ham side that thrives on balls into the box and goals from set pieces.

With the deals of current right-backs Vladimir Coufal and Ben Johnson expiring this summer, signing a young defender who can slot straight into the starting XI would be a smart bit of business from the Hammers.

Alvaro Morata and Rodri have been given one-match bans by UEFA for misconduct during Spain's Euro 2024 winners' parade.

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• Rodri and Morata banned
• Spain beat England in Euro 2024 final
• Punished for chant about Gibraltar

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  UEFA have handed Morata and Rodri a one-match ban each for misconduct during Spain's Euro 2024 winners' parade, per The Athletic. The pair were filmed singing 'It's Spanish, Gibraltar is Spanish", with Gibraltar's FA subsequently submitting a complaint to UEFA. They claimed the song was "extremely provocative and insulting".

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  The ban for Morata and Rodri will stand for all UEFA competitions, meaning that it will take effect for their Nations League campaign. Spain will be without the striker and the midfielder for their fixture against Serbia on September 5.

• WHAT UEFA SAID

  UEFA's statement explained that the pair have been banned due to them "failing to comply with the general principles of conduct, for violating the basic rules of decent conduct, for using sporting events for manifestations of a non-sporting nature and for bringing the sport of football, and UEFA in particular, into disrepute".

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  WHAT NEXT?

  While the ban has taken immediate effect, it will not affect domestic fixtures. Rodri will likely play for Manchester City against Manchester United in the Community Shield this weekend, while Morata is set to make his AC Milan debut against Torino later this month.

Tottenham Hotspur have made gains under Ange Postecoglou's leadership, and perched in fifth place in the Premier League, a place in next season's Champions League proper is now palpable.

That said, Saturday's chastening 4-0 defeat on Tyneside issued a stark reminder of the canyon still placed between Spurs and success.

Aston Villa, fourth, picked up a huge 2-0 win at the Emirates Stadium against Arsenal on Sunday to send Tottenham further away from the top four, and, with the Gunners up next in the Premier League, Postecoglou will be desperate to find a solution.

Defensive issues were rife on Tyneside and while he's been superb since signing from Wolfsburg for £43m last summer, Micky van de Ven suffered his worst performance at the club by a distance after a spate of costly errors.

Still, he's a massive upgrade on the crop of last year, with Eric Dier certainly a level below his Dutch successor.

Eric Dier's market value in 2024

Dier, aged 30, completed 365 matches for Tottenham across almost ten years, signing from Sporting Lisbon for £4m in 2014 and playing a large part throughout an exciting and successful phase of the club's modern history.

But he was never the standout star in the backline and he endured a truly wretched 2022/23 campaign as Spurs conceded 63 goals in the Premier League and finished eighth – only Bournemouth, Nottingham Forest and relegated sides Leicester City, Leeds United and Southampton shipped more.

Dier, while starting 31 Premier League games last year, struggled to perform and was branded a "liability” by writer Mitch Fretton for his part in the struggle.

As such, despite signing for Bayern Munich in January after sitting miserably on the fringe under Postecoglou this season, Dier now has a market value of just £9m, according to Football Transfers.

Given that, at the height of his Tottenham career, his worth was marked at £35m, this is a bitter representation of a gradual decline in north London, but he's still worth more than one current first-teamer who is surely heading for the exit door in several months.

Bryan Gil's market value in 2024

The man in question is Bryan Gil, who Tottenham signed for a fee approaching £22m back in 2021 after a prodigious start to professional life in Spain.

A winger of immense talent, the 23-year-old has been said to possess a "left foot made of pure gold" by talent scout Jacek Kulig in the past but has been nothing more than disappointing since moving to N17, with Fretton noting that he is "unwanted" by Postecoglou.

Jamie Carragher even noted that he "looked like a boy playing in a man’s game" after Spurs' Premier League fixture against Manchester City back in November, and having averaged only 0.3 key passes, 1.1 successful duels and 1.6 ball recoveries per match this term, as per Sofascore, it really is clear how far he has fallen.

And indeed, Gil is worth just £8m after several years of lacklustre performance. While Spurs are currently focussed on relieving the books of his signature at the moment, even believed to have received a formal proposal from Dutch Eredivisie champions Feyenoord, it's hardly likely that Daniel Levy will collect a fee resembling the 2021 outlay for his services.

While he's one of the Tottenham first-team's lowest earners with a £40k-per-week salary, Gil has still chipped away at the coffers and has actually cost the outfit in excess of £27m, having contributed with just two assists and no goals across 42 fixtures.

Tottenham are improving under Postecoglou but must now axe this wage-draining player to ensure that the trajectory heads in the right direction.

Wage Burners

Football FanCast's Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.

Barcelona are considering offloading centre-back Andreas Christensen as they look to cut their wage expenses before the transfer window closes.

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• Barca looking to sell before transfer window ends
• Christensen among players who could be offloaded
• Demanding €30m for Newcastle-linked defender

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Denmark international appears to be the latest figure that the Catalan club are prepared to sell as they look to raise funds amid their financial difficulties, reports. The 28-year-old was named as a substitute for Barca's opening La Liga game of the season on Saturday and came off the bench for the last 25 minutes, but it appears he is not a major part of Hansi Flick's plans.

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  The Catalan club are currently unable to register Dani Olmo following his arrival from RB Leipzig and they must raise more funds to bring him into the squad. Having come in as a free signing from Chelsea in 2022, making a profit from his sale and getting him off their wage books would likely allow Barca to register the new signing.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The report adds that Christensen has attracted interest from the Premier League, with Newcastle recently linked with him. It was reported by last week that Barca would demand around €30 million (£26m/$33m) for him.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Barca have just over a week to arrange a deal for Christensen if they wish to sell him before the transfer window comes to a close. They are also said to be willing to let go of midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who is set to return to Manchester City, as well as Ansu Fati, Vitor Roque and Mikayil Faye.

Another significant report has emerged regarding the potential takeover of Everton Football Club on Monday, with yet more concerning news coming the club's way.

Everton off-field latest

On the pitch, Sean Dyche's side picked up a welcome 2-0 victory at home to Nottingham Forest on Sunday afternoon, acting as a huge shot in the arm in the Premier League relegation battle. It was a massive step in the right direction, not to mention a welcome boost during a season that has seen so many obstacles to overcome.

Away from the action, Everton have had to deal with points deductions drama, initially seeing 10 points taken away, only to see that amount drop to six. Since then, another two points have been lopped off their tally in the league, although they are appealing that decision with the hope it will be reduced or erased.

If that wasn't bad enough, the ongoing saga surrounding 777 Partners' purchase of the Blues has also acted as an unwelcome distraction to on-field matters, with Everton's proposed next owners continually seeing their credentials called into doubt.

While the majority of supporters want to see Farhad Moshiri leave as the current owner, it would also be foolish to accept whichever buyer comes along. The longer the situation surrounding 777 Partners goes on, the more of a concern it feels, and a new update will do little to change that feeling.

Fresh Everton takeover blow

Taking to X on Monday, journalist David Hellier admitted that the takeover of Everton is in danger of falling through, with Deliotte struggling to find new financial backers: "The latest on Everton's 777 deal: Everton FC’s main financial adviser is scrambling to find new backers to save a takeover of the club by US investment firm 777 Partners amid fears that the deal could collapse, sources say."

In his article for Bloomberg, Hellier says that "Deloitte has been seeking fresh funding from sports-focused investors and lenders to get 777’s deal over the line", adding that behind scenes sources believe the "current preference is to attract a partner for 777 instead of getting an entirely different bidder".

This really does sum up Everton this season, with so little to shout about even when a positive result is picked up in the Premier League. It feels like one negative after another for anyone associated with the club, and at this point, many may simply wish to see the back of 777.

Even if their takeover does go through, there have been too many worrying updates regarding them to instill genuine confidence in the fanbase, but then there is the issue of having to go all the way back to square one if a different buyer is found.

Everton hit jackpot offloading Silva signing who cost them £19m in wages

He made 84 appearances for the Toffees.

By
Ethan Lamb

Apr 22, 2024

One day, the hope is that all these points deduction and takeover issues will have blown over, with Everton in a shiny new stadium and still in the Premier League, but for now, that still feels a long way off.

Rodri has reportedly emerged as Real Madrid's priority transfer target for 2025, with the Manchester City star stalling on a contract extension.

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• Real Madrid already planning for next summer
• Want to sign Rodri from Manchester City
• Rodri would leave City only for Real

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to Spanish outlet Real Madrid are confident of wrapping up a deal for Bayern Munich's Alphonso Davies already for next summer, and are now setting their sights on Rodri as part of their long-term strategic planning. With the retirement of Toni Kroos, a player whose influence on Madrid’s midfield has been unparalleled, the club is seeking a player of similar calibre to fill the void. Rodri, who is considered one of the best in his position, has emerged as a "priority transfer target" to take on this role.

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  At 28 years old, Rodri is at the peak of his powers, and by the time the 2025 transfer window opens, he will be 29 – the same age Zinedine Zidane was when he joined Real Madrid in 2001. His current contract with City runs until 2027, but the club has been eager to secure his future by offering him a new deal. However, the Spanish midfielder has yet to commit to an extension, fuelling rumours of a potential departure. His agent, Pablo Barquero, who also represents Real Madrid legend Raúl Gonzalez, has been in communication with City regarding a renewal, but no agreement has been reached so far. City are reportedly willing to place Rodri among the club's highest earners, potentially matching the salary of star striker Erling Haaland but the allure of returning to Madrid, his hometown, and playing a crucial role in Real Madrid’s sporting project is something that could tempt Rodri to make the move.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Real Madrid are aware that Rodri will either renew with City or join them, hence the club will not be drawn into a bidding war. Madrid plans to wait until the end of the current season before making any decisive moves. With only two years remaining on his contract by that time, and with the possibility of Pep Guardiola leaving Manchester City in 2025, Rodri might see this as the perfect moment to embark on a new chapter in his career. However, Los Blancos might have to shell out a hefty fee of over €100 million (£85m/$111m), to lure him to the Santiago Bernabeu or a similar amount that they paid to get the services of Jude Bellingham.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Rodri would want the No. 16 at Real Madrid which is temporarily worn by Endrick. However, the Brazilian teenager could get the No. 9 shirt from Kylian Mbappe, who in turn might pick up the No.10 after Luka Modric leaves the club next summer. This would leave the number 16 available for Rodri, should he make the move to Madrid. Moreover, the signing would also help Real Madrid swell the number of Spaniards in the squad which has gone down after losing Nacho Fernandez and Joselu to the Middle East.

When it rains… as they say.

Tottenham Hotspur slumped to a third consecutive defeat in the Premier League after an insipid and uninspiring performance against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, with the frustrations over recent weeks boiling over into a cauldron of calamity for Ange Postecoglou.

Spurs might be fifth in the standings but the problems are mounting as hopes of a return to Europe's elite are yanked away as if by some invisible cord – with familiar face Mauricio Pochettino the latest architect of Tottenham's ongoing spiral.

Liverpool await at Anfield on Sunday and Manchester City will journey down to N17 in a few fixtures, and based off the meek, morose nature of Tottenham's effort against Chelsea, optimism will be in short supply for an outfit hobbling to the finish line.

Postecoglou said his team lacked "belief and conviction", but the struggle of stand-in star Emerson Royal highlighted the biggest issue heading into the final few games.

Emerson's performance vs Chelsea

Tottenham were dealt a miserable double-blow recently when first-choice left-back Destiny Udogie's season-ending injury was swiftly followed by second-choice left-back Ben Davies' season-ending injury – leaving Emerson as the best fit for the role.

Against Chelsea, he was ravaged by Noni Madueke down the flank, torn apart by pace and directness in a torrid display that exposed his fragilities.

Not his finest hour – or hour and a half, more precisely. Out-of-position Emerson will likely feel aggrieved that he has been scapegoated, to a degree, but the facts remain that he is not taking his chances at Tottenham.

While Emerson was shoehorned into a left-sided role, Dejan Kulusevski also found himself in a fresh role but with greater optimism that he offered skills to naturally suit him as the No. 10, replacing the struggling James Maddison.

He failed to impress.

Why Spurs must drop Dejan Kulusevski

Kulusevski has been a star member of Postecoglou's squad this season but he's not producing performances of sufficient standard of late and suffered one of his worst efforts on Thursday night as the No. 10.

Spurs were both spineless and toothless and the lack of creativity stemmed from the Swede's struggles, completing 90 minutes and creating two key passes but enduring a wretched evening on the whole, winning just one duel despite contesting 11 and committing four fouls, as per Sofascore.

Moreover, Kulusevski conceded possession 15 times, took just one shot – blocked – and failed to attempt a single dribble, proving that he was at the heart of a disjointed, weak team performance.

Writing in his post-match player ratings, football.london's Rob Guest branded the £110k-per-week Lilywhite with a lowly 5/10 match rating, writing: 'Handed a start in his favoured No.10 role with James Maddison on the bench but did very little in the first half to influence things in the final third when in possession. Had more of an influence in the second half with some good runs forward before he shifted to the right wing following Maddison's introduction.'

Such words do highlight his improvements when moved into his natural position but it's clear that Maddison must reclaim his starting spot henceforth, with the pace of Brennan Johnson preferable on the right flank against the style of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool.

Ange must immediately bin Spurs ace after 4/10 display v Chelsea

Postecoglou watched in horror as this Tottenham player lost nine duels at Stamford Bridge.

By
Angus Sinclair

May 3, 2024

Tottenham will need to think fast to find some restorative powers and hit form against Liverpool on Merseyside. But, indeed, Kulusevski must not be placed in the No. 10 role again. The dynamic midfielder has many strengths and was at the heart of Tottenham's early-season success, but he failed his audition in a deeper, central creative role and it's evident that Postecoglou must shuffle the pack once again on Sunday.

France legend Bixente Lizarazu has taken shots at Kylian Mbappe and claimed that the forward is not the threat that he used to be.

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• Mbappe criticized by Lizarazu
• Told that he is 'no longer scary'
• Not impressed with France captain's comments

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Mbappe made the long-awaited move to Real Madrid this summer as a free agent following his departure from Paris Saint-Germain. However, the Frenchman has endured a slow start to life with Los Blancos. The issues have not just been with Real Madrid but a lack of form and threat has also been apparent with the French national team as Mbappe struggled to help Les Bleus in the Euros. Lizarazu has now hit out at the 25-year-old by claiming that the French captain is no longer as threatening as before as he also talked about his comments towards supporters' dissatisfaction with Les Bleus.

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  WHAT LIZARAZU SAID

  In his column in L'Equipe, Lizarazu wrote: "You can't be insensitive to the feelings of the French team's supporters, to the frustrations they may have, to the questions they may have. You have to try to answer them, give them hope, it's part of the job and the emotional connection you have to have with your fans.

  "Perhaps he is less serene than usual, more tense because he is slow to find the best footballing version of himself. Mbappe is no longer as explosive or decisive as he was. He remains a very good scorer, a very good player of course, but he is no longer scary as before."

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  Mbappe scored just once during France's journey the semi-final of the Euros in Germany, and that was a penalty in the group stage against Poland. The same lack of form has followed him at Santiago Bernabeu as he has struggled to fit into Carlo Ancelotti's team as well as had been expected. However, before the start of the September international break, Mbappe broke his league duck with a brace against Real Betis.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?

  The 25-year-old will be hopeful that he can do the same during France's second and last game of the September international break when Les Bleus take on Belgium on Monday evening.

Former England and Tottenham forward Gary Lineker could agree to sign a new multi-year deal with the BBC to stay on as Match of the Day presenter.

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• Lineker in talks over new multi-year deal
• Agreed to take a pay cut
• Will meet BBC officials next month

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Lineker, who has been associated with the broadcaster since 1999, is all set to meet the executives of the channel to discuss a new multi-year deal, according to . The former Three Lions star's current contract expires at the end of the 2024-25 season.

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  The report further claims that Lineker has volunteered to take a pay cut as he could agree to stay with the BBC for £1 million a year from the upcoming campaign, which is £350,000 per annum less than what he pockets currently. The 63-year-old is likely to put pen to paper on either a two or three-year deal.

• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  A source close to the development told : "Gary is hugely popular with both fans and players alike. The sense is that, with so much uncertainty and scandal at the BBC, right now viewers are crying out for a safe pair of hands. Gary adores the BBC, and loves his job, and recognises what an honour it is to host television’s flagship football show, as well as international games.

  "Gary has long maintained that the BBC provides excellent value for money – and has quite literally put his money where his mouth is, and offered to take a substantial pay cut."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Lineker was earlier tipped to join ITV after his BBC deal expires next summer, but the switch looks unlikely now. The BBC had earlier considered replacing the England legend with former Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas, but he was sacked last month due to "issues relating to workplace behaviour".